This application is a continuation-in-part of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 848,930 entitled CONSOLE EQUIPMENT FOR INFORMATION PROCESSING SYSTEM filed on Mar. 10, 1992 in the name of A. Ueoka et al, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a console apparatus for an information processing system, and more particularly to a console apparatus for an information processing system capable of controlling a plurality of computer systems.
2. Description of the Related Art
As the range of applications to recent computer systems (information processing apparatuses) expands, a computer center with only one computer system is unable to meet user demands, and so a plurality of computer systems are installed at the center.
In such a case, console apparatuses numbering as many as the number of computer systems are installed. A control panel having lamps for indicating the operation state (such as error occurrence) of each computer is also provided and connected to the computer systems via private lines.
Installation of a plurality of console apparatuses forces an operator to patrol console apparatuses and periodically monitor the control panel, or requires an increase in the number of operators.
The former requirement leads to poor efficiency in operation management of computer systems and low reliability is also caused due to a possible check miss by an operator. The latter requirement is contradictory with labor savings systems.
Under such circumstances, a console apparatus capable of controlling a plurality of computer systems has been proposed, as described in Document (1) "Automatic Operation Support System by Personal Computer (V)--Console operation with Multi-window feature", Preprints of Lectures, pp.4-75, 76, the 42 (the first half year of 1991) National Conference of Information Processing Society of Japan.
According to Document (1) "Multiwindow-base Concentrated Console Function", a console function for a plurality of computer systems is realized by a single console apparatus by displaying a plurality of windows having the same number as that of the computer systems on the common screen of the console apparatus. An error display window is also given on this common screen to indicate a computer system which has any trouble.
Also disclosed in JP-A-1-96725 (Document (2)) is a console apparatus capable of controlling a plurality of computer systems of an information processing system, and displaying the operation state of each computer system on a window assigned to the computer system.
The console apparatus of a conventional information processing system disclosed in Document (2) displays both normal operation messages and abnormal operation or error messages as they occur, the error message being displayed in red. An operator is forced to always monitor the console apparatus so as not to overlook the display of a red error message.
It is necessary for an operator to respond quickly to a reply request message from a computer system, and to always monitor the status of all computer systems.
However, the "Multiwindow-base Concentrated Console Function" in Documents (1) and (2) does not disclose a means of responding to a reply request message. Although an identification of a computer system which has any trouble is indicated on the console screen, the status of other computer systems are not displayed.
Furthermore, in a conventional console apparatus, a window is not provided with an indication of to which computer system it belongs.